Cooperative role of thrombopoietin and vascular endothelial growth factor-a in the progression of liver cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma

Primary thrombopoietic mediator thrombopoietin (THPO) is mainly produced by the liver; it may act as a growth factor for hepatic progenitors. Principal angiogenesis inducer vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) is critical for the complex vascular network within the liver architecture. As a cross-regulatory loop between THPO and VEGF-A has been demonstrated in the hematopoietic system, the two growth factors were hypothesized to cooperatively contribute to the progression from liver cirrhosis (LC) to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The mRNA and protein expression levels of THPO, VEGF-A, and their receptors were examined, compared, and correlated in paired cancerous and LC tissues from 26 cirrhosis-related HCC patients, using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. THPO and VEGF-A were alternatively silenced by small interfering RNA (siRNA) in human liver cancer cell lines Huh7 and HepG2. THPO and VEGF-A expressions significantly increased in tumor versus LC tissues. HCC and paired LC cells expressed similar levels of THPO receptor (R), whereas vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) -1 and VEGFR-2 levels were higher in HCC than in corresponding LC tissue samples. A significant linear correlation emerged between THPO and VEGF-A transcripts in HCC and, at the protein level, THPO and THPOR were significantly correlated with VEGF-A in tumor tissues. Both HCC and LC expressed similar levels of gene and protein hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α. Positive cross-regulation occurred with the alternative administration of siRNAs targeting THPO and those targeting VEGF-A in hypoxic liver cancer cell lines. These results suggest THPO and VEGF-A might act as interdependently regulated autocrine and/or paracrine systems for cellular growth in HCC. This might be clinically interesting, since new classes of THPOR agonistic/antagonistic drugs may provide novel therapeutic options to correct the frequent hemostatic abnormality seen in HCC patients

Notas sobre moscas necrófagas (Diptera: Caliptratae) associadas a carcaças de peixe na Amazônia Colombiana

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of studies on carrion fly communities due to their medical importance and as a consequence of the large number of studies on forensic entomology. Surprisingly few studies have adressed with the asynantropic flies of the Amazon, and none were done in Colombia. A faunistic study of asynantropic flies of the families Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Muscidae and Fannidae in three different landscapes of the Colombian Amazon is presented, trapping effectiveness is assessed, and the first record of Mesembrinella batesi (Aldrich, 1922) and Fannia femoralis (Stein, 1897) from Colombia is reported.Apesar de existir uma quantidade considerável de estudos sobre dípteros decompositores devido a sua importância medica e ao avanço da entomologia forense, poucos dizem respeito as moscas asinantrópicas na Amazônia e nada foi feito na Colômbia. No presente trabalho é feito um estudo faunístico sobre moscas, principalmente das famílias Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Muscidae e Fanniidae em três diferentes paisagens da Amazônia Colombiana, além do primeiro registro das espécies Mesembrinella batesi (Aldrich, 1922) e Fannia femoralis (Stein, 1897) para Colômbia e avaliação da amostragem utilizada

Sostanze voluttuarie e idoneità alla guida in ambito lavorativo

Le Conferenze Stato-Regioni del 30 Ottobre 2007 e del 18 Settembre 2008 hanno esteso alle funzioni del medico competente l’obbligatorietà di effettuare accertamenti tossicologici per sostanze psicotrope e stupefacenti a carico di alcune specifiche categorie di lavoratori, prevalentemente occupate nel settore dei trasporti, per le quali un eventuale accertamento di positività determinerebbe obblighi di segnalazione in capo al sanitario. La normativa attualmente in vigore in materia, viene qui analizzata ponendo particolare attenzione alle criticità emergenti tra le pieghe del complesso e articolato quadro legislativo di riferimento

Liver transplantation for symptomatic centrohepatic biliary cystadenoma

Biliary cystadenoma is a rare benign cystic tumor of the liver. The mainstay of treatment is complete resection, either by enucleation or by formal hepatectomy, since incomplete removal entails not only constant recurrence but also the risk of malignant transformation to cystadenocarcinoma. A case of symptomatic centrohepatic biliary cystadenoma involving the main vasculobiliary structures of the liver is reported. After an unsuccessful attempt at resection resulting in an intrahepatic biliary injury, relief of jaundice and radical excision were achieved by total hepatectomy and liver transplantation. The patient is now alive and well 4 years after transplant, disease-free, with normal liver and renal function while receiving everolimus monotherapy. This is the first report of liver transplantation performed for the treatment of this tumor. With the case on the background, diagnostic aspects and available therapeutic strategies for biliary cystadenoma are reviewed and discussed. © 2011

Le malattie professionali da radiazioni ottiche artificiali (ROA)

Introduzione: Con l\u2019entrata in vigore delle disposizioni di cui al Capo V del Titolo VIII del D.Lgs. 81/08 viene ad essere garantita dal legislatore la piena tutela della sicurezza e della salute dei lavoratori esposti a radiazioni ottiche artificiali (ROA). Obiettivi e metodi: Gli autori prendono in esame, sulla base dei dati della letteratura sull\u2019argomento, gli effetti sulla salute conseguenti all\u2019esposizione occupazionale a ROA. Risultati: Le patologie croniche correlate con esposizione a ROA nel range dello spettro fra 220 e 310 nm (UV) sono rappresentate da congiuntiviti e cheratocongiuntiviti croniche. Le patologie oncologiche della cute correlabili con l\u2019esposizione a RUV sono rappresentate dai carcinomi cutanei basocellulari e spinocellulari e dai melanomi cutanei. L\u2019effetto biologico delle radiazioni ottiche infrarosse (lunghezza d\u2019onda compresa fra 780 nm e 1 mm) \ue8 essenzialmente di natura termica. L\u2019esposizione a luce blu (lunghezza d\u2019onda compresa fra 380 e 550 nm) causa danni esclusivamente retinici ed \ue8 considerata responsabile dello sviluppo di quadri di Degenerazione Maculare Senile (AMD). Pur in presenza di dati sperimentali di laboratorio, non esistono tuttavia al momento dati epidemiologici che documentino i danni retinici da luce blu. Conclusioni: Nello studio vengono illustrati i criteri medico-legali per lo studio del nesso di causalit\ue0 fra esposizione professionale a ROA e danno, nonch\ue9 la metodologia e i momenti procedurali necessari per l\u2019iter valutativo. Vengono quindi presi in esame gli elenchi delle malattie professionali attribuite all\u2019esposizione a ROA presenti nel DM9 aprile 2008 e nel DM13 dicembre 2009. Infine gli autori propongono, sulla base di Linee Guida e dati della letteratura scientifica sull\u2019argomento, protocolli di sorveglianza sanitaria per la tutela della salute dei lavoratori esposti al rischio specifico.\uabOccupational diseases caused by artificial optical radiations (AOR)\ubb. Background: Italian national legislation guarantees safety and health for workers exposed to Artificial Optical Radiations (AOR) by Legislative Decree 81/2008. Objectives and methods: Effects and damages to health resulting from AOR exposure were analyzed from literature data. Results: Ultraviolet Radiations (UV), particularly those in the wavelength range between 220 and 310 nm, causes chronic conjunctivitis and kerato-conjunctivitis. Skin cancer caused by UV exposure included Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Melanoma. As regards Infrared Radiations (portion of the spectrum between 780 nm and 1 mm), the biological effect is essentially of thermal nature. Exposure to Blue Light (portion of the spectrum of visible light radiation in a wavelength range between 380 and 550 nm) causes exclusively retinal damage and is considered to be responsible for the development of situations of Age-relatedMacular Degeneration (AMD). Even if experimental data are available, at the present time there is still no epidemiological evidence of retinal damage caused by blue light. Conclusions: The forensic criteria for investigating the causality link between occupational exposure to AOR and damage, and the methodology necessary for the assessment process, are reported.Two lists of occupational diseases which were included in the ItalianMinisterial Decrees, issued respectively on April 2008 and 11 December 2009, are also considered. Lastly, on the basis of the current existing guidelines and scientific evidence, the authors propose occupational health surveillance protocols for workers exposed to AOR risk

Diversidade de Calliphoridae (Insecta: Diptera) na base de extração petrolífera da Bacia do Rio Urucu, na Amazônia brasileira Diversity of Calliphoridae flies (Insecta: Diptera) in the oil extraction field of Rio Urucu basin, in brasilian Amazonian

A diversidade e abundância de dípteros califorídeos de três ambientes (clareira artificial, clareira natural e mata) de Porto Urucu/AM foram avaliadas em coletas anuais realizadas em 2004, 2005 e 2006. Ao longo destes três anos foram coletados 2.121 exemplares pertencentes a 14 espécies. As espécies mais abundantes foram Chloroprocta idioidea (Robineau- Desvoidy), Eumesembrinella randa (Walker) e Hemilucilia semidiaphana (Rondani). Os habitats de matas e clareiras naturais apresentaram maior abundância de califorídeos quando comparados às clareiras artificiais, com índices de diversidade e equitabilidade também maiores do que em clareiras artificiais, onde a dominância foi mais elevada.<br>The diversity and abundance of blow flies in three environments (anthropic gaps, tree-fall gaps, and primary "terra firme" forest) of Porto Urucu/AM were evaluated in annual collects realized in 2004, 2005, and 2006. During these three years were collected 2,121 specimens belonging to 14 species. The most abundant species were Chloroprocta idioidea (Robineau- Desvoidy), Eumesembrinella randa (Walker), and Hemilucilia semidiaphana (Rondani). Primary forests and tree-fall gaps enviroments, showed higher blow flies abundance than anthropic gaps, with diversity and equitability index higher than anthropic gaps, when the dominance value was high